Tegra Note gets official, video card makers get into the tablet game

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Nvidia has officially revealed its latest tablet reference design, the Tegra Note. This isn’t a first-party retail device like the Shield. It’s an example for Nvidia’s OEM partners, which include EVGA, PNY, and Zotac.

They’ve worked with Nvidia for years churning out video cards, but it’s still a surprise to see their names listed in the press release. These aren’t seasoned veterans of the tablet wars. But with companies like Samsung and Asus content to use chips other than the Tegra 4, perhaps Nvidia had to turn elsewhere to sell its new SoC.

The platform Nvidia is providing includes a quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor paired with Nvidia’s 72-core mobile GPU. It’s also looking after the software, shipping TegraZone and SmugMug’s Camera Awesome app — which is currently an iPhone exclusive. Nvidia will also handle the software updates.

As for what else you can expect from Tegra Note tablets, the reference design features a 7-inch 1280 x 800 resolution IPS display, 16GB of internal storage and micro SD expansion, a 5MP rear and a VGA front camera, a multi-tip stylus, front-facing stereo speakers, and a battery that can handle 10 hours of HD video playback.

Actual retail devices may look vastly different. Nvidia is providing an example, but EVGA, PNY, and Zotac will do their own thing. We may see models with 1080p displays, 64GB, and NFC, but we’ll have to wait for the manufacturers to reveal their own Tegra Note tablets.

Devices are expected to start at $199, but that’s just Nvidia’s suggested retail price for its own reference design. That’s a decent price for a tablet with the Tegra Note’s specs, but, again, Nvidia’s partners have the final say when it comes to pricing.

Tegra Note tablets are expected to hit the streets next month, so we won’t have to wait long to find out what they have in store for us. While you might assume that companies that cater to the gaming crowd would focus on premium devices, they’re also newcomers to the tablet market. They may well stick close to Nvidia’s SRP, at least for their first attempts.